Locking device for interlocking switch stands



Sept; 22, 1925.

F. C. ANDERSON LOCKING DEVICE FOR INTERLOCKING SWITCH STANDS Avfiorney.

Filed April 5. 1925 I rwe nior ing sliding through this stirrup theinterlocking bar 20, with an opening through which the interlockingplunger 21, sliding in the housing 18, is adapted to extend when theopening registers with the openings in the casing and stirrup. This bar20 extends under the stock rail 12 and has its end connected by means ofa suitable plate 22 to the end of the point rail 6, so that the bar 20must move with the point rail, in such a manner, as in my abovementioned prior devices, that if for any reason the point rail 6 is notbrought safely close to the stock rail 12 by the switch-throwingmechanism, the openings in the bar 20 and the casing or housing 18 andstirrup 19 cannot register, and the plunger 21 cannot enter the openingof the bar 20.

For sliding this plunger 21, a crank is provided, comprising the shaftpart 23 journaled in the upper part of the housing 18, with two arms 24extending down inside the housing near opposite lateral walls thereof,and with two arms 25 extending back past the rear recessed end of thehousing,

just outside said walls, The rear ends of these latter arms 25 arepivoted to the lower endof the connector 17. The plunger 21 is mounted,at its rear end inside the housing 18, in two downwardly extending lugson the rack 26, which has, at each side, two laterally projecting lugs27. The downwardly extending arms 24 of the crank straddle the rack 26,and the lower end of each of these arms 24 fits between a respectivepair of the lugs 27. The rearwardly extending rod 28, fixed in the upperpart of the rear end of the rack 26 and projecting out through the backof the housing 18, is for connection of a signalling device to theinterlocking mechanism, and does not form an essential part of thepresent in vention.

With the parts connected as just described, when the switch-throwinglever 9 is raised out of the slot 11, to horizontal position, forthrowing the switch, the plunger 21 is completely withdrawn from theopening in the bar 20, permitting the bar 20 to move with the point rail6 as the latter is moved away from the stock rail 12 by swinging thelever 9' and the fulcrum head 8 around in the horizontal plane, the sameas in any of the prior devices mentioned.

My present improvement consists in providing for locking theinterlocking plunger 21 against this withdrawal from the interlockingbar 20, by looking it directly to a part of the interlocking housing 18.As herein exemplified, and as I prefer to make this provision, the rack26 of the plunger 21 has the upwardly and forwardly extending neck-29above the plunger 21, on the front end ofwhich neck 29 isthe ear 30which projects out through a slot 31 in the front end of the housing 18just down from the top thereof,'when the plunger 21 is engaged in thebar 20, so that its opening 32 is out past the outer front surface ofthe housing 18 to receive the bow of a padlock 33 as seen in Fig. 1.\Vhen thus locked, the padlock prevents the plunger 21 from recedingback out of the bar 21, which thus cannot slide, and being connected tothe switch rails, these cannot be thrown by means of the switch-throwingIIlBCl1- anism.

When locked in this manner, if the switchstand frame 1 and parts carriedthereby are torn away, the plunger 21 cannot be pulled therewith fromits engagement with the bar 20; so that the switch remains locked,although the entire upper mechanism is disrupted. The interlockingdevice, being very low, and most of it being embedded in the head block,hardly can be engaged by a disrupting object in such a manner as to tearit from its position. Thus, the switch is locked with much greatersecurity against such accidents than when it is locked up in the ear 13.This arrangement also protects the switch in such cases as accidentaldisconnection of the switch-throwing mechanism from the switch rails.For example, if the bolt connecting the rod 5and bar 7 breaks or dropsout, the switch rails might be jarred over, derailing a train, if thelook ing is at the ear 13. With the rails locked in closed position'atthe plunger 21, that disconnection does not endanger the traflic,because the bar 20 still holds the rails.

Furthermore, incomplete throwing of the switch by means of theswitch-throwing mechanism, either through looseness or disconnection ofits parts or inattention of the switchman, cannot be followed by alocking of the switch, as may be possible if the looking is done at theear 13. Because the opening in the inter cking bar 20 must register withthe plunger 21, allowing the latter to enter, before the'ear 30 canproject its opening 32 for reception of the padlock, the switchmancannot place the padlock until the switch rails are in safe relation.This assurance was largely provided in my prior patents mentioned,locking the switchthrowing mechanism; but direct application of the lockto the interlocking plunger increases it. Also, as compared withapplication of the lock to some part pivotally or slidably related tothe plunger, as in my prior'applications mentioned, the assurance 18increased, because the factor of improper relation of the parts, throughwear or dam- 1 age, is removed; and, the locking being still lower onthe mechanism than in any of those devices, the chance for disruption bystriking of objects against the mechanism is correspondingly reduced. Inaddition, the

its shaft part 23 .journaled one half in the housing body and one halfin thecover 18,

while the slot 31 for the ear opens out through the top .of the housingbody and has its upper end .closed by the cover '18. This constructionpermits simple integral formation of the crank shaft 23, and arms 24 and25, as the .crank can be dropped .into its lower bearing .sectlon beforeplacing the cover 18, previously to which the rack .26 has been placedin the housing easily, by dropping its ear 30 down into the slot 31.

Although I have exemplified use of my present improvement With the highstand, and With the mechanism connected to the switch-throwing leverdirectly'by the connector 17, as in my first mentioned priorapplication, it Will be understood that it is equally applicable to anda benefit in the interlocking mechanisms of the other three priorapplications mentioned, all of Which provide for a movement of theplunger be fore the switch can be thrown, or an opposite movement of theplunger before it can be locked. The modifications chiefiy concern thecrank to operate With different types of switch-throwing mechanisms, orto operate in different manners, and in any of these my presentdirect-locking provision being adaptable thereto by providing a suitable extension on the plunger for reception of the lock, and the movableparts for coaction With a lock, on top of the housing, thereby beingeliminated. These and other modifications may occur, and therefore,

while I have specifically illustrated and described acertain example ofapplication of my invention, I do not wish to be understood as beinglimited to such precise disclosure, but What I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a switch-stand, in combination With a switch-throwingelementthereof and interlocking mechanism therefor, having an operativeconnection to said element, means adapted to receive a padlock forlocking said interlocking mechanism directly and thereby indirectlylocking said switchthrowing element.

2. In a switch-stand, in combination With a switch-throvving elementthereof and interlocking mechanism therefor comprising a plunger havingan operative connection to said element, means fixed to said plungeradapted to receive a padlock for looking said interlocking mechanismdirectly and thereby indirectly locking said switchthrowing element.

3. In a switch-stand, in combination With a switch-throwing elementthereof and in- .to said element, means fixed to said ph.

iterlocking mechanism therefer comprising a housing and a plungersliding in sai [housing and having an operative connection inside saidhousing and slidably extending outside said housing, adapted to receivea padlock to engage against .the exterior of the housing for lockingsaid interlocking mechanism directly and thereby indirectly locking saidswitch-throwing element.

t. In a switch-stand, interlocking mechanism comprising a plunger, andmeans fixed to said plunger adapted to receive a padlock for lockingsaid interlocking .mecha nism.

15,. In a switch-stand, interlocking mechanism .comprising a 1honsing,.aphuiger sliding in said housing, and means fixed to said plunger insidesaid housing and slidably extending outside said housing, adapted toreceive a padlock to engage against the exterior of the housing.

6. In a switch-stand, interlocking mechanism comprising an interlockingbar, a plunger slidable to engage said bar, and means fixed to saidplunger adapted to receive a padlock adjacent to the place of engagementof said plunger with said bar, for locking said interlocking mechanism.

7. In a switch-stand, interlocking mechanism comprising an interlockingbar, a housing guiding said bar, a plunger slidable in said housing toengage said bar, and means fixed to said plunger inside said housing andslidably extending outside said housing, adapted to receive a padlock toengage against the exterior of the housing adjacent to the place ofengagement of said plunger With said bar, for locking said interlockingmechanism. 7

8.. In a switch-stand, interlockingmechanism comprising a housing, aplunger slidable in said housing, a rack fixed to said plunger insidesaid housing, and a neck on said rack having an ear extending outthrough a Wall of said housing.

9. In a switch-stand, interlocking mechanism comprising a housing and aseparate cover for said housing secured thereto, a plunger slidable insaid housing, a rack fixed to said plunger inside said housing,

and a neck on said rack having an ear, said housing having a slot in itsWall over said plunger, With an open upper end closed by said cover, andsaid ear slidably extending out through said slot.

10. In a switch-stand, interlocking mecha nism comprising a plunger, acrank having an arm in operative relation With said plunger and an armin operative relation With the switch-throwing mechanism of thesWitch-stand, and means fixed to said plunger adapted to receive apadlock for looking saidplunger and thereby locking said switch-throwingmechanism.

11. In a swltclrstand, in combination with a swltch-throwing elementthereof and interlocklng mechanlsm therefor, having an operativeconnection to said element, means below said operative connectionadapted to receive a padlock for locking said interlocking mechanismdirectly and thereby indirectly locking said switch-throwing element. v

12. A rack for switch-interlocking plunger comprising an upwardly andlongitudinally extended neck having a lock-receiving aperture.

13. A rack for a switch-interlocking plunger having pairs of lateralprojections on its opposite sides, and having extending up- Wardly andlongitudinally from one end thereof a neck having a lock-receivingaperture.

14. In switch-interlocking mechanism, a rack, a plunger extending fromsaid rack, and a neck extending from said rack substantially parallelWith said plunger and having near its end a lock-receiving aperture.

15. In switch-interlocking 'mechanism, a

rack, a plunger extending from one end of said rack near the bottomthereof, and a neck extending from said end above and substantiallyparallel with said plunger and having near its end a lock-receivingaperture.

FRANK o. ANDERSON.

